Reality
by Crimson Tempesta
Summary: I hate Fairy Tales. Which is why it's just my luck that I'm stuck going through a billion fairy tales. Oh joy. But it gets better. I have to kiss my True Love at the end of each fairy tale. And I just found out my True Love is Phoenix. My worst enemy.
1. Fairy Tale Horrors

****

A/N: Well, this is my new story. I, uh, suppose... I mean, yeah, it is. Don't ask why I said I suppose. Because it fully is. My new story, that is.

Yeah.

I'll just shut up now and let you get to reading it, shall I?

(EDIT: I just deleted the song lyrics from the beginning because apparently they're taking off stories with song lyrics, although I can't imagine why. Thanks to Gina for the tip.)

Reality

Chapter 1: Fairy Tale Horrors

* * *

_There are no mistakes, no coincidences. All events are blessings given to us to learn from._

- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

* * *

Okay, by the way, this is fully _not_ working. Apparently, this wonderful city that I call home (notice me not really saying it _is _home, since I am a firm believer of that whole home-is-where-the-heart-is thing, me being the horrible romantic that I am) prides itself in the absolutely _smashing_ way we elves can just visit our monarchs at any time we feel like it, as long as it's in the 1-5 time slot.

Do you want to know what time it is? Yes, that's it. 3:36. Meaning I have full rights to be going to see the Monarchs. I mean, come on, just _one_ of the monarchs, please. Even the 10-year-old Prince would be fine with me, okay? I just want to see a bloody monarch! Someone who can _do _something! Something _useful_! Because, frankly, nobody else can do anything. Everyone I plead my case to is all like, "Go see the Monarchs."

It's like trying to see the fairies, which is, like, impossible, being as they hate us and we hate them, so no way in fairy butt would they let any of us into their precious lands.

"Can you please just let me in?" I plead with the guard at the door to the Royal Palace.

"I'm sorry, but all the Monarchs are busy at the moment," the guard informs me.

"I could wait in the Entrance Hall until they're done," I suggest, grinning hopefully.

She rolls her eyes. "Nope. They aren't seeing anybody. They'll be busy the rest of the day."

I groan in frustration and fight the urge to go back to my younger years and stamp my foot in frustration (shut up. I am fully aware that I just stamped my foot at my mother yesterday. Can we please just forget about that little incident for a bit?). "There _must _be a way that I can see them. Just one of them. Even Prince Gabriel. Someone who has the power to help me."

The guard's will seemed to be breaking. Ha! Mwa ha! Mwa ha _ha_! I am soooo good! I swear, you should just bow down to me or something.

"I can't help you," the guard finally said.

Oh.

Damn.

Okay, so maybe I'm not as good as I thought. Whatever.

Don't talk to me. I need to go and sulk.

"But, you know," the guard continues, "I always find the East Garden a relaxing place to think of where I could find a monarch."

I manage not to look at her weirdly…but only just. "Um…okay."

And I walk away, disappointed.

Alright, so I went to the East Garden. Please. Can you blame me? What _else _was I supposed to do? I mean, if it worked for her, maybe it'll work for me. Maybe the East Garden gives you psychic powers or something. Oh, but, man, what if it's just the specific place she sat? That'd really suck. I should've asked her. Remind me to ask her next time.

Oh, crap, someone's coming. Not that I don't have the right to sit here or anything. I have full rights to sit in the East Garden. It's the _Private _East Garden that I'm not allowed to sit in. My mom told me, so I know. Mwa ha.

The person who emerges from the bushes looks surprised to see me. Why? There's no reason for this little kid to be surprised to see me. I mean, this garden is public property and all. I can be in here all I want. It's not like it's the _Private_ East Garden or anything. Jeez.

"Excuse me, Lady," the young boy says politely. The kid has manners! What a miracle, I swear. "I beg your pardon, it's just that these Gardens are reserved for the Royals alone. Not that I mind you being here, it's just that the King and Queen would rather not have anyone other than Royals in this Garden."

Um, isn't he in here? And since when is it reserved for the Royals?

"You're in here," I tell him, as if he needed to be informed of that. Oh, shut up, please. "And this is the East Garden."

"Yes, exactly," the boy says. "The _Private _East Garden."

"No, no, this isn't the Private one. This is the one where anyone can go into," I protest.

"There is only one East Garden, and that is the Private one."

Oh.

Oops.

But the Guard…

"But the Guard told me that when she wants to find the Royals, she goes to the East Garden," I tell him.

Ha! Take that!

"Yes," the boy agrees with me. "Certain Guards are allowed to go into the East Garden. But only to find the Royals, not to stay there. I do not think you are one of those Guards. I have never seen you before."

"Do you punish people who go into the East Garden?" I ask cautiously, prepared to run if he says yes.

"No," the boy answers, and I relax. "At least, not the first time. And if the King finds you, he grows very angry and yells at you, which is not a pleasant experience. I've never liked it, anyway. He yells at me all the time."

Who is this boy, anyway? Is he a servant or something? If so, why is he in the Private East Garden? I heard that the Royals never go in here with their servants. Servants aren't allowed. Only Guards, and then, most of the time, they are hidden.

"Who are you?" I ask.

"Oh, beg your pardon, Lady," the boy apologizes, cheeks turning red. "I always forget my manners. I am the Prince Gabriel. It's a pleasure to meet you."

With that, he bows. Not very low, but as low as anyone should bow when respecting their elders.

"Oh!" I exclaim. He's the _Prince_? Well, of course he is! I'm so dumb! It makes sense, being as he's in the Private East Garden, and is too young to be a Guard, and doesn't have the Guard uniform on beside.

Crap, crap. I have to curtsy now. I _hate_ curtsying. Okay, do you know how hard it is? It's hardest to bow to Royals. We have to put one foot in front of the other, and then bend at the knees until we're practically sitting on our feet, which just makes us more unstable. Then, we have to spread our arms _gracefully_ out to the sides (and I have absolutely zero grace whatsoever), without tipping over. And, to top it all off, we have to bow our heads, at _just _the right moment. This is what usually makes me fall. It's horrible, I swear.

And, and…I've done it! I've curtsied! Mwa ha! Albeit, not very gracefully - okay, not gracefully at all, and I did wobble a bit, but still.

"Oh, please, don't curtsy to me," the young Prince says. "You're like what, 7, 8 years older than me?"

I look up at him in surprise, and, surprise, surprise, I topple over. Damn.

As the Prince is hurrying to help me up, I say, "But you're the Prince. I'm supposed to bow to you."

Prince Gabriel wrinkles his nose. "But I _hate_ it when people bow to me. None of the kids will play with me at all! How could they, with them bowing to me every second? And when I tell them not to bow, they just get all surprised and look at me like I'm crazy or something, and then go on bowing. And the grown-ups, they just look at me in pity, like I'm some poor little creature who doesn't understand the ways of the world. I do, though! I understand that it's unfair that I can't play with anybody just because of who I was born as! It's not _fair_! I'm bored all the time. I, I…urgh!"

The Prince stamps his foot and pouts.

I grin at his little outburst. First of all, he is a very smart little kid. Second of all, he's so _cute_ when he pouts like that!

"Aw, come on," I say, trying to be comforting. "I'm sure _somebody'll_ play with you."

The Prince shakes his head sadly. "No one will."

Poor kid.

"Well, have you ever tried going to the village in disguise or something like that? Then just don't tell the kids who you are, or make up a name or something," I say.

Prince Gabriel's eyes light up. "You're brilliant! Thanks, thanks!"

How come he's never thought of this before? I mean, it's not that hard to think of. I dunno, maybe royalty just doesn't ever think of dressing up as peasant. Why would they? I never think of dressing up as royalty.

Ah, crap, I'm getting off-track. As in off-track with the Prince. I had planned to immediately plead my case to the first Royal I saw, but then Prince Gabriel has to go and be all, you know, _cute_ and stuff, and then he had to go on that little rant of his, so what if he thinks that I'm just talking to him so he'll listen to my case? That definitely wouldn't be good. Nope, not good at all. This is the most important case in the world. The elf world _and_ the human world. And the fairy world. Of course, anything to do with elves is more important than anything to do with the fairies. The fairies suck. And, okay, maybe that's a bit dumb of me to automatically assume they suck when I haven't met very many fairies, and actually one of the very few I have met is actually really nice, there's one fairy I know that puts a bad name on all fairies. Not that he's really the reason that _everyone_ hates fairies - that happened thousands of years ago, and he's only, like, 19 years old. My point is, because of him I now hate all fairies, while before I hadn't believed anyone when they said fairies were evil, because I have had this fairy friend since I was 3 years old, and she was perfectly nice and not evil what-so-ever. She is the exception, by the way.

Okay, so maybe I don't _hate_ fairies. Maybe I only hate him. But I was trying to sound all dramatic and stuff, although obviously it was wasted on you.

Go away.

Um, which is precisely what Prince Gabriel is doing. Going away, that is.

Shit!

"Wait!" I call after him. I start running to reach him. "There's something I must ask you!"

He's already at the entrance of the Garden, and I meet him there.

"Yes?" he asks.

"I was wondering if you could help me with something," I start. "Well, it's not really for _me_, see, it's for my friend. Except she can't exactly ask herself since, well...you'll see."

Heh. Yeah. She's kind of a fairy.

But I don't mention that little bit of information.

"I'd be happy to help," Gabriel says kindly.

Not after you hear what my case is, you won't

But I don't mention that either.

"Well, see..." I pause, wondering how to go about saying it so that he won't automatically laugh and, I dunno, spit in my face or something. Not that he'd do that. Shut up. "I have this friend, and she wants to marry a nobleman, but she's only a commoner. And so I was wondering if I could get permission from the King and Queen so the two can marry."

I still don't tell him that she is a fairy and he is an elf. Hopefully I won't have to.

Cross my fingers and all that, right?

Gabriel looks confused. Why?

"Why do you need the permission of the King and Queen?" he asks. Oh. Well...fairy poop. "Wouldn't you just need the permission of the parents?"

"That's where the problem lies," I confess. "The parents have no control over whether or not the two can marry. The monarchs of both the Kingdoms must give them their blessings. It's the law, see."

Gabriel is beginning to look suspicious.

I don't think I can get away without telling him who the two are anymore.

That sucks, by the way.

I sigh, a big, long one of defeat, since I have been defeated and am therefore allowed to sigh in defeat.

"The girl's a fairy, and the guy's an elf," I tell him at last. "That's why they need permission from the monarchs. And she can't go before the monarchs, because she's a fairy, and he can't because the monarchs would hate him for wanting to marry a fairy."

So, yes, that's my case. And maybe it isn't the most important case in the world. Maybe it seems a bit insignificant to you, to go through all that fuss.

But it's really important for Europia and Roman, okay? To them it is the most important case in the world. I mean, imagine if they couldn't get married. Imagine how horrible it would be for them, how they would yearn for each other their whole lives and end up marrying another, never really falling out of love with the other...

Ah, the drama, ah, the romance...

I'll shut up now.

Gabriel looks hesitant. No, no, don't look hesitant!

I guess it's a step in the right direction though, right? At least he didn't immediately look at me in disgust and spit at me.

"I would love to let them marry...if it was in my power," Gabriel admits. Meaning his parents won't let them marry. I knew it. "But my parents, they hate fairies with a passion. They wouldn't understand."

Why wouldn't they let her marry him? I really don't get it. It's not like _they_ have to marry a fairy. Oh, no, heaven forbid. Why can't they just let them marry and leave them alone? They won't ever have to hear from them again. It'll be like it never happened, and the monarchs could go on leading their meaningless, stupid lives.

Yeah. I don't really like the monarchs right now.

"Can't you do _anything_?" I plead. "You're their son. Surely they'd listen to you."

Gabriel shakes his head sadly. "No, the don't ever listen to me."

I groan in frustration. "Isn't there any kind of, I dunno, strings you can pull or something?"

"I'll try, I will," he tells me determinedly. "But, please, don't get your hopes up. I doubt I'll be able to do anything. I don't come into any power until I turn 18 and I gain the thrown. And then, of course, I have to find a bride before I reach 18, or it will go to my little sister."

This is not good. Definitely not good. How can I tell them that, because of me, they won't be able to marry?

Gabriel sees the despair on my face and opens his mouth. "I'm - "

He stops short as a jet of light shoots past him and straight to me. I gasp as the scarlet light hits me and I jerk backwards.

"Oh, no! Oh, no, what have I done!" a small voice exclaims from behind the bushes.

A small girl with short bubblegum pink hair and red eyes runs out from the bushes and to me, wringing her hands nervously, and muttering, "Oh, no, oh, no, this cannot be good."

She looks as if she's only 6 years old, but talks as if she's older. And then...holy fairy, she's a human! How did she get in the Elf world? And how does she have pink hair and red eyes when she's a human? Humans all have the boring hair and eye colors.

"What have you done?" Prince Gabriel demands from beside me.

Jeez, for a little kid, he can be really intimidating. He's starting to frighten me.

Must come with being a Prince.

The girl turns to him, her eyes fearful and her face white. "I...um, well..."

"Speak!" the boy exclaims. "You just hit my friend with a spell! _What have you done to her_? If you've dealt her any permanent damage, you can be sure I will - "

I'm his friend? How touching.

And, no, I wasn't being sarcastic. So hah.

"Oh, please, Your Highness," the girl interrupts. "It's just that I thought she was the Queen at first glance because she was with you and you're the Prince, but right after I released the spell I realized it wasn't her and the spell, um, wasn't the right one. Please don't throw me in the dungeons or anything, I really meant good, I swear. I'm just not that advance with spells yet. I'm only have elf. The other half is human, so I'm rather bad with spells."

"Is that supposed to make it better?" he asks. "Telling me that it was supposed to be my _mother_? And then telling me it was the _wrong_ spell? What spell was it?"

He seems so much older when he's angry. It must come with the whole Prince thing, again.

The girl looks even more nervous now. "It was supposed to be a spell of understanding. I learned the spell a little while ago and I thought I'd try it on the monarchs of the Elves and the Fairies so that they'd understand the other race, and then they wouldn't hate each other so much."

I smile at her. I like her, even if she did just charm me or jinx me or curse me or something. I still don't understand how she can talk so well when she's only, like, 6 or whatever.

"I think it sounds like a really good idea," I tell her, trying to comfort her. After all, she was only trying to do something good, right?

"What did the spell turn out to be, though?" Gabriel asks. He seems to have cooled off some.

"It's, um, well it shouldn't _harm_ her, really..." she trailed off. "The spell was supposed to be green, and then it turned out red, so I knew it was, well... I mean, you'd probably like it if you were human, but since you're not, it might not really be to your liking... It's a...well, see...a..."

"Just say it!" Gabriel finally explodes.

The boy obviously doesn't have much patience.

"It's a Fairy Tale Curse," she finally explains in a rush.

Please do not tell me she just said that. Please, oh please, oh please...

A _Fairy Tale_ Curse? I'm not sure what that is, but it cannot be good. I mean, it have Fairy Tale in its name. And Curse at the end.

Let's get one thing straight right now. Elves - and fairies, for that matter - _hate_ fairy tales. We loath them. We spit on them. We curse them...you get the idea. We don't like them, contrary to humans, who absolutely adore them, the weirdoes.

And now she's done some kind of fairy tale weirdness to me?

This cannot be happening.

"What does it do?" I ask, dread coming over me.

She bites her lip. "It, uh, it makes your life into a Fairy Tale."

No way. No. No no no no no no no no no no. No infinity times. _Nooooooo_. Anything but that. Please!

I take a deep breath. "Explain."

I definitely do not like her anymore.

"The spell was originally used to find your True Love, the one you were born with," the girl begins. "Your life becomes a bunch of different fairy tales, one after the other. In each fairy tale, your True Love is the Prince or the hero or whoever. You have to complete all the events in the fairy tale before the next fairy tale will come. Once you've completed a fairy tale, you must kiss your True Love to prove that the fairy tale is complete. If it is, you go on to the next fairy tale. If not, you have to repeat that fairy tale all over again. The Fairy Tale Curse ends once...well, um...heh heh..."

She cannot be serious. As in no way. As in...

And why won't she say what ends the curse? Why, why, _why_?

I'm panicking, I know. But wouldn't you be panicking too?

My life as I know it is dead. I don't even want to know my stupid True Love! I want to decide who my True Love is on my own. I hate fate.

"As soon as _what_?" I finally lose my patience.

She takes a deep breath and avoids my eyes as she says, "As soon as you tell your True Love that you're in love with him. And then he has to be in love with you back and he has to tell you that he's in love with you too. If he isn't in love with you, you'll have to repeat _all_ the fairy tales you did over again, and you can't tell each other that you love the other until the point where you left off. So you're risking a lot if you tell him that you're in love with him. He can't tell you he's in love with you first, either, or send any secret signals or something. You can't fool the curse. People have tried before. The Curse always knows. And then, after the Curse is complete, you must...you must marry him."

I struggle not to scream. So that's my life now? My life has just been laid before my eyes. I will go through a bunch of _stupid _fairy tales, most likely repeating them over and over again because how can I get anyone to fall in love with _me_, and then, when I finally get done, I have to _marry_ him. I don't want to get married! I'm not ready, okay? I'm only 17. I have my whole life ahead of me.

And then, of course, I don't even get to pick the guy who I marry. It's an arranged marriages, basically. Even if the guy's supposed to be my True Love, what if I don't like him? What if he's an asshole? Just because he's my True Love doesn't mean he'll be a nice, good person. This guy was picked for me before we were born, before anyone knew what his personality was.

I will kill whatever stupid deity thought of the absolutely _stupid_ idea of True stupid Loves.

"I'm so, so, so sorry," the girl apologizes, her eyes welling up with tears. My heart twinges a little. I've always had such a soft spot with children. "I never meant for this to happen."

"I know," I say. "Listen, it's not your fault. Well, it kind of is, really, but everything will be fine. I mean, what if, when the time comes, I'm ready for marriage? And I'm sure my True Love will be great. I could never fall in love with someone I hated, right?"

I doubt I'll be ready for marriage. I doubt my True Love will be great. And I don't have to like my True Love for him to be my True Love.

I don't say this aloud. That would be mean, and she's already on the verge of tears.

The girl looks up at me hopefully. "You really think so?"

No.

I bend down to her and smile. "Of course I do."

"Hey, um..." Gabriel pauses and then looks sheepishly at me. "What's your name?"

Oh, right. I never told him, did I? Never told you, either, for that matter.

"It's Whisper Silver Rose," I answer. "You can just call me Whisper, though. Or, you know, Whisp for short or something, though I'd really rather you didn't."

My name may seem strange for humans, but it's perfectly normal for elves. For elves and fairies, pretty much any names but Jen or Heather or Jessica is acceptable. Jen and Heather and Jessica are human names. Human names are big no-no's, elves hating humans and all.

Which makes it weird that the girl is half elf and half human, but I won't ask.

"Okay," the Prince says. "I just wanted to tell you, Whisper, that I'll do everything I can for your friend while you're doing your...fairy tale things. I swear, I'll get my parents to give their blessings or die trying."

I nod at him, grinning. The grin comes out as more of a grimace, though. I've never been good at grinning when I'm not happy. It just doesn't feel right, you know?

"So, what's your name?" I ask the girl.

"Aurora Gold Night," the girl answers. Ah, so her parents kept the tradition that elves have of putting a color as their middle name.

I nod, not knowing what to say.

"When does the Curse start?" I finally ask.

"Midnight," she answers.

How fitting. If the first fairy tale isn't Cinderella, well, then, shoot me and call me a fairy.

Don't, though, because I'd rather not be a fairy and I'd rather not be shot.

And I know that it seems as though I shouldn't know any fairy tales, being as I hate them so much, but everyone still knows the fairy tales. How could we not? We're curious when we're younger as to why the fairy tales, well, suck butt, so we ask about them, and we're told the fairy tales.

Fairy tales suck, have I mentioned that?

I bite my lip and stand up.

"Well. Midnight." I pause. "I suppose I'll go say goodbye to my family. In a sense, I guess, they will be gone, right? Because even though they'll still be in my life, they'll have different personalities and they'll have different roles in my life, right?"

Aurora nods.

I sigh. This sucks. I think I've said that already, but I really don't care.

This sucks more than you can possibly imagine.

"Goodbye, then," I say to Gabriel and Aurora.

They say goodbye as well, and I walk away.

I hope midnight never comes.

****

A/N: Did you like it? If you didn't, well, then, that's too bad for you. You thought you'd get a good story and you didn't. Tear, tear.

And if you did, all the more joy to the world. And me. Fun fun ('till my daddy took my T-Bird away).

Sorry, couldn't resist. Everything reminds me of everything.

La la.

Review, please. I like reviews just as much as the next writer. More so, really since I'm, um...you know, special like that.

Whatever.

Review, please.

Oh, yes, and you-know-who in the next chapter! Yay! And if you don't know who, go back and read the summery.

Phoenix, her worst enemy, her True Love, for those lazy forgetful people out there. I mourn with all those lazy forgetful type. I, too, am one. Alas, alas.

I shouldn't tell you, my readers, that I'm lazy and forgetful. I doubt it will put much confidence in my updating on time abilities. But I'll try, I swear! This is my new favorite story. I have lots of ideas for it. Lots and lots. I shall never get Writer's Block (knock on wood, cross my fingers, all that).


	2. Cinderella, Dressed In Yella

A/N: Sorry for taking so long. I'm not the fastest updater in the world. But here you go. The second chapter.

(EDIT: I edited out the song lyrics in this chapter, too. Thanks again to Gina. Has anyone any idea _why_ we can't have song lyrics in our story? It doesn't really make sense to me. Is it some legal problem?)

Chapter 2: Cinderella, Dressed In Yella

Midnight came.

What, did you really expect it to not come? For time to just stand still forever and for me to be happy and unmarried and un-slowly-tortured-by-idiotic-fairy-tales forever? Please. I wish.

No, I'm not crossing my fingers right now and looking at that star over there.

Don't talk to me anymore.

All this wishing won't work, anyway, because midnight already came. It came and I felt this big _woosh_, you know, all dramatically and stuff, and then I found myself in the exact same spot, on my bed, which I am right now five minutes later.

Actually, I found out that my clock is wrong. I did the whole _whoosh_ thing when my clock said 11:51, and was therefore fully not prepared for the whole_ whoosh_ thing, especially with it being all dramatic and stuff.

I hate whooshes.

I wonder what fairy tale I'm in right now. Probably something dumb. I'm in my house, so it must be something where I'm poor, because my house is definitely a poor house.

I'm probably Cinderella.

How predictable.

I'm probably a Seer, you know. Being as I saw into the future and saw that I would begin with Cinderella because of the whole midnight thing. I should be a Seer for the Royals. They would definitely want me, me being so...so, um, Seer-ish.

Okay, so maybe I'm just trying to stall the inevitable. The inevitable being that I'll either fall asleep and then have to face the next day, or someone in my Fairy Tale will come speak to me, thus making this little Fairy Tale fun, fun adventure seem real.

I don't want that to happen, incase you didn't know.

I lay back on my bed, sighing deeply.

I'm so tired.

But I can't fall asleep! I can't! You can't fall asleep in dreams. And that's all this is, you know. A dream.

Don't look at me like that. I _know_ I'm in denial. At least I'm not in denial about being in denial, right? Then I'd be in, like, _double_ denial...

I can be such an airhead, can't I? But only in my head, I swear. I mean, everyone's permitted to be an airhead in their head. I can do anything I want in my head. So there.

I can do anything you can do better, I can do anything better than YOU!

Okay, I'll stop singing in my head. I'm sure all you voices in my head are scarred for life. Poor you. I feel you pain.

I'm tired. As in really, really, really tired.

I don't think it'll matter if I close my eyes for a second, do you? It's just that they're so dry and my lids or so heavy and what's the point of keeping them open when they're 100 pounds and they'd feel so much better closed and I'll just close them until they aren't feeling so heavy anymore and...

"_Cinderella!"_

I hear the shrill scream reverberate throughout my room. It sounds like it came from downstairs. Ugh...I don't want to get up. I don't want to open my eyes. It's past midnight. Why is someone yelling at this hour? And my name isn't Cinderella, okay? I know I'm stuck in some dumb fairy tale thing, but do you _really_ have to call me Cinderella? I just want a _hint_ of normalcy around here, you know?

Obviously certain _other people_ do not understand that.

I open my eyes and am blinded by a bright light. Ah, the brightness! It's blinding me! No! Where the hell did that come from? Did I die?

Um, okay, so maybe it's only the sun. Maybe I'm being a bit dramatic. But still, when did I fall asleep? I don't remember. I must have been really tired. Ugh.

Oh, great. She's calling again. My mother. Well, I suppose she's my step-mother now. Whatever.

"Cinderella, get your lazy butt out of bed now!"

How mean can she get? She's never been this mean to me before. She's always been a kind, gentle, nice woman...

Or not.

She has always been a bit _mean_, the...meanie.

But she's never been _mean_ mean, you know? I've always known that she really didn't mean it, that she was only joking.

Now she's just plain mean.

Well, fairy. Isn't that just great?

Sarcasm. It's a killer.

I finally get out of bed. It's not like I could sleep, anyway, with that horrible screeching sound my mother keeps on making.

Or Step-mother. Whatever.

When I walk into the dining hall, I see my mother there, looking down at me scornfully.

"For your tardiness," she tells me, "you get twice the amount of chores today. You are expected to be up and preparing our breakfast at 4. You woke at 7 today. _Seven o'clock_, Imagine my horror when I woke up only to discover my _step-daughter_ hadn't _made me my breakfast_. I'm starving, child!"

I really want to just punch her, of course, but that is entirely not acceptable, being as I must play the part of Cinderella. Cinderella, if I remember correctly, was very timid. She would never punch her step-mother.

It still takes me all my will-power not to punch her. Well, okay, maybe not _really_. She is my mother, no matter what illusions the Fairy Tale were currently making. I could never punch her.

I could punch my step-mother. If she didn't look like my mother.

That sucks.

I hang my head in shame, me being the perfect and wonderful and beautiful actress that I am, and say in a small voice, "I apologize, Step-mother. It shall not happen again."

She glares hatefully at me. "See that it doesn't."

With that, she makes a dramatic exit from the room, dress billowing and all that.

She's probably a bat in disguise.

Now, what happens next in this little fairy tale joyness of mine? I wrack my brains and I come up with the next event: I take a walk in the Royal Gardens (the non-private ones, of course) and happen upon the Prince.

Huh. That's strange. I automatically know what the next event is?

Must be part of the Curse. The good part, you know, the helping-people-is-good part.

I take a deep breath. Oh, crap. This is it. I'm going to finally meet my fated, and most likely the dumb asshole who will inevitably lead me to my eventual demise.

What an asshole.

I walk the long, long, _long_ walk to Royal Palace and thus to the Royal (non-private) Gardens.

And maybe the walk was only 10 minutes long, but it felt more to me, okay? I'm not really in that good shape at the moment, okay? To me it felt like hours.

I am so pathetic, I swear.

I walk cautiously through the Gardens. I should see the Prince, my True Love, soon. I do not want to see him. He's going to be horrible, I just know it. What if he smokes? I'll have to _kiss_ him. Ew. Not that many elves smoke, but still. What if he's one of the few that do?

I'll just die, I swear I will.

I turn a bend, and...

Oh, no. Kill me. Please. Do it now. Kill me kill me kill me kill me kill me kill...

How can this be? I mean, how can it be _him_? It's just not possible. Not possible at all. No no no. No.

He spins around when he hears me whimper. Yes, I did whimper. Shut up.

"We are not going through with this, Rose," he informs me.

"And your brilliant plan is...?"

He can't answer of course.

I hate him.

Oh, yes, you probably want to know who 'he' is, don't you?

It's worse than you could have possibly imagined at all. As in he's not even my own race. He's a _fairy_. I don't want to marry a fairy. I know I shouldn't have this prejudice against them, but I can't help that I still do a little.

But that's not the worst part. Of course it isn't. Of course.

I think I'm going to scream.

You want to know who it is?

Yes, that's right. Phoenix Clearess. _The_ Phoenix Clearess. The dumb crap who is the bane of my existence Phoenix Clearess. The one whom I happen to hate with my whole being.

I'd rather take the smoker, thanks. I mean, I might be able to break the smoker of his bad habit, but break Clearess of his habit of being a dumb crap?

Impossible.

Phoenix groans in frustration. "I don't know what to do! We can't go through with this, you know that. We couldn't possibly fall in love with each other, and then we have to _marry_ each other. No. We have to figure a way to stop the Curse."

His stupid violet eyes shine with despair as he runs a hand through his stupid black hair.

"We'll just have to go along with it for now," I tell him. "There's no other choice. We don't want to be stuck in the stupid Cinder-stupid-ella fairy tale forever."

Ugh. If we are I'll kill myself. Forget you killing me. I'll just do it myself.

Great plan, huh?

Phoenix looks at me with a raised eyebrow. "You do realize what we have to do at the end of each fairy tale, do you not?"

Oh, man. Not cool. Not cool at all. I have to _kiss_ him.

I can't. I'll get infected with, like, Phoenix germs or something.

Ew.

I take a deep breath. "I shall sacrifice my lips for one second in order for me to get away from this horrible nightmare we call a fairy tale. I mean, we only have to, you know, just give a little peck and all. No big deal, right?"

Right?

Phoenix snorts to show his disbelief in my statement.

Jerk.

"How'd you find out about everything, anyway?" I ask.

He better not be a Seer. That's _my_ job, thanks. And maybe it's never been _officially_ proven that I'm a Seer and all, but I fully am, okay?

I am!

"Aurora told me everything," he explains.

I nod. Makes sense. Damn him. He's not supposed to make sense. He's supposed to be wrong. Always, always wrong, and never make sense. So, um, there.

"Hey, Rose?" he asks.

I look at him. "What?"

"Do you think what we talk about makes an effect on the fairy tale?"

Oh, crap. I hadn't thought about that.

"Um..." I think. Hard. Very hard. Um... "It shouldn't, I guess, because the event list inside my head only says that I have to come here and talk to you. This is where Cinderella and the Prince fall in love."

Heh, yeah, well, that isn't happening for _us_. We are never going to fall in love with each other? Got it? I don't know what kind of freak accident made him my True Love (cringe with me now), but that doesn't mean I'm going to fall in love with him. No way. No siree. Not me.

I am the embodiment of rhyming coolness.

Phoenix snorts again. What a snorting freak.

Oh, oh, getting a new event here! And, and...aw, damn, I have to go home and _clean_. Ugh. Then the herald will come while I'm cleaning. Well, poo on that. I hate cleaning.

"I said _Cinderella and the Prince_," I correct him. "Not the wonderful, beautiful, sexy goddess and genetically engineered freak pretending to be Cinderella and the Prince."

Don't ask about the 'genetically engineered' bit. Please. It's just some book I read about people with violet eyes. Really good book, by the way. You should read it.

That requires me telling you the title, however, and I really don't feel like it. Ha.

Not that I have anything against telling you the title. Well, I do. See, I just want to rub it into your face that I know the title and you don't.

Ha ha! I know the title and you don't!

Yes, I know I am childish and immature. I am allowed to. These are my thoughts. My _private, personal _thoughts, that you should consider very lucky to be able to intrude upon.

Phoenix looks at my weird after my proclamation. Ugh, what an annoying loser.

"Why did you call me 'genetically engineered?'" he asks, raising an eyebrow. He's just doing that because he knows I can't raise my eyebrow. Well, I kind of can, but if I do I look constipated. No, seriously. I'm not just trying to be gross. My face gets all scrunched up and my eyebrow kind of twitches as if I'm in pain.

It's really not a very pretty sight. I tried it on my brother, but he just laughed at me.

I scrunch my nose at him in annoyance. "Because you have violet eyes."

What? It's a perfectly good explanation. Go away.

"How does that make me genetically engineered?" he asks, looking truly confused now.

Good. He's deserves to be confused.

"The book," I explain finally. When he still lacks response, I elaborate. Begrudgingly, though, of course. "I read a book once where the human government genetically engineered superhumans, and all the superhumans had violet eyes."

Phoenix looks at me in surprise. What? What was so surprising about what I said. It was a really good book!

"You don't strike me as the type to not have prejudices against the humans," he says.

What does he mean by that? I do not have prejudice against humans! I just happen to think they're foolish and annoying. I mean, I wouldn't be _mean_ to them or anything.

I wouldn't! Why are you looking at me like that?

Okay, so I _might_ be a little condescending toward them, but please, can you really blame me? They're idiots.

And I _know_ that's no reason to be condescending. Shut up. I don't like you at the moment. In fact, I never liked you.

I glare at him. "Just because the book is about humans and is by a human author doesn't mean I won't read it. There are a few exceptions."

Phoenix rolls his eyes. "Of course. You do have prejudices. You're just denying it. Typical."

Typical?

"How is that typical?" I ask suspiciously.

Phoenix fights not to smile, but I can see his mouth twitching at the edges. "It's just that it's typical for you to be in denial."

The loser!

Great comeback, I know.

"I am not in denial!" I protest. "I'm never in denial! When am I in denial?"

It's getting harder for him to not smile. I hate him. "Well, you're denying the fact that most humans aren't morons, just misinformed, you're denying the fact that fairies are the best race - "

"Yeah right!" I explode.

This time he lets himself grin. "So you're not denying the fact that fairies are the best race?"

I think about that for a second, letting it sink in. He - ugh!

"And," Phoenix continues before I can say anything, "you are denying the fact that you worship me and think that I'm sexy."

The day I worship him and think that he's sexy is the day that - that - I don't know what day that'll be, but it'll never come!

I punch him in the arm and start to protest loudly. He just grins and continues proclaiming that I'm in love with him.

Sure. Like that'll ever happen. I'll never think he's sexy if I punch him in the face so much that it's all a big lump of purple grossness.

That's a good idea.

I eventually get home after I'm satisfied with the amount of times I punched him. I couldn't punch him on the face, though, because he pointed out that he had was the Prince and his mother and father, namely, the King and Queen, would not be too happy with the massacre on their son's face, and would therefore most likely throw me in the dungeons.

That was a rather depressing thought.

So here I am, _cleaning_, waiting for that stupid, idiotic, obtuse, dim-witted, dull, dense, mindless, sluggish, insensitive, moronic _jerk_ who likes to call himself a herald.

Yes, I am very mad at him right now. So what? He's the one who's not here, making me clean even more!

I am a lazy person, okay? A very lazy person. I'm not proud of it, but that's not going to change anything. You want to know why? Because I am too lazy to stop being lazy.

In other words, go away and leave me and my laziness alone.

There's a loud _ding_ throughout the house. I jump up enthusiastically. Yay! That wonderful, wonderful sound! That wonderful, wonderful herald who is my life savior and has rescued me from the excruciating pains of cleaning!

I know I said I hated him a second ago. Well, I'm allowed to change my mind, aren't I? I'm aloud to have freedom of opinion? Aren't I?

Humph.

You suck.

"What the bloody hell are you _doing_?" a shrill voice from behind me screeches, and I freeze, wincing. I never knew my sister could have that shrill of a voice.

Or step-sister.

Who cares.

I turn around to face my former sister and now step-sister, studying her curiously. She's definitely changed. Her long bright purple hair that was previously short, reaching just above her shoulders, is now long and curled up into a tight bun. Her emerald green eyes are shooting glares at me, which does occasionally happen (so sometimes I'm not the best older sister in the world. I'm still cooler than you...don't comment), but this glare is different in that it looks permanently attached to her face, and my _sister_ never was able to keep a glare on her face for very long. All in all, the effect makes her look like I do when I try to raise one eyebrow (constipated) and makes her look older than her 16 years.

She really should stop glaring for the sake of her physical health. And my mental health.

"Um...hey, Silence," I greet nervously. Okay, she's a bit scary right now. Her glare...isn't exactly pleasant.

She glares even more. Jeez, enough with the glare already, okay? There's only so much a poor, innocent 17-year-old girl can take.

Yes, I am innocent.

"My _name_ is Silence _White_," she snarls.

Yeah, Silence, only _strangers_ call each other by their first and middle name. Duh.

Of course, she is kind of a stranger now, right? Except she doesn't know that.

I'm so...so...bamboozled.

He he. I like that word.

Right then, back the to the evilness that is Silence White. And fairy tales. Ugh.

Another ring interrupts us.

Silence squeals and I look at her, bewildered and a little freaked out. Since when has Silence ever squealed?

Obviously, Silence _White_ does.

Freaky.

"It's him!" she exclaims.

"Who?" I ask, looking at her weirdly. This cannot seriously be Silence.

Silence's turn to look at _me_ weirdly. "You don't know?"

I shake my head. Am I supposed to.

Silence looks at me weirdly for a second more then rolls her eyes at my stupidity.

At my _supposed_ stupidity, I should say. I am _not_ stupid.

"It's the herald, Whisper Silver," she tells me, rolling her eyes once more. She can't roll her eyes at me! I'm older! That gives me full right to roll my eyes at _her_. "He has come to announce the ball that the Prince is holding. Everybody is talking about it. It's going to be a _grand_ event."

I blink.

"Oh, well, I knew that," I say.

Duh.

"Then why did you ask me?" she asks angrily.

No reason to get angry here. I'm just an innocent bystander who apparently looks like the Queen.

See. I told you I was beautiful and wonderful and all that.

I shrug and bounce off to the door. Yes, bounce. I'm just happy that I don't have to clean anymore. Stop being so _annoying._

"Whisper Silver!" I hear Silence screech from behind me and I halt once more.

How annoying can she get?

"Don't you _dare_ answer the door!" she continues. "I do not want him to see you like - like _that_!"

Except, see, the little event thingy in my wonderful mind is telling me to open the door, and so I do. Can't deny the little event thingy in my mind, now can I?

Luckily, Silence can't screech anymore, due to the fact that the herald is standing there, and she obviously wants to make a good impression on him. I don't see why, though. I mean, just look at him! He radiates dumbness and annoyingness and...and...bad stuff!

Okay, so he's my brother. Former brother. Whatever.

Nirvana Black (you've realized the similarities between the names now, haven't you?) has changed as well. Good. I never liked him anyway. His red hair is cut short (another plus) and his thin glasses make him look smarter. Of course, the arrogant expression completely ruins it.

Nirvana clears his throat and announces in a haughty voice, "To the residence of the Rose family: The Royal Prince is having a ball and blah time on blah date and I'm boring and who could actually really listen to my babbling on for hours at a time and I should really just stop right now but I'm stupid so I don't heed Whisper's wishes like the moronic imbecile that I happen to be and I like to talk in run-on sentences that don't make sense whatsoever with all these big words that no one in their right mind would possibly understand being as no one used them anymore and I'm just trying to be a big pain in the ass like I know I am and blah, blah, blah..."

Maybe those weren't his exact words, but they might as well have been. He is so _boring_. I think I could fall asleep right now. You know, if I wasn't standing and all.

Besides, I already knew all about the ball. Everyone knows about the ball. I don't particularly want to go.

Except the event thingy is telling me to ask, "Does that mean I can go too?"

Silence looks at me in shock, and the then her expression turns to disgust. "You?"

I nod my head enthusiastically, grinning.

Nirvana looks hesitant. "It _does_ say all the ladies of the Rose manor."

Silence laughs annoyingly. I hate this stupid fairy tale. Of course, it will be fun torturing Silence with all the details of her ditziness...

"Oh, but surely you can't mean _Whisper Silver_." Silence emphasizes my name, as if that would prove her point. When Nirvana still looks clueless, she sighs and elaborates. "She's a _servant_. Servants cannot attend a ball."

"If said servant has an invitation, she may attend," Nirvana informs her. "Servants will not, of course, be in the same ballroom as the Nobles, so do not trouble yourself, Lady."

He walks away and I stick my tongue out at his back.

Ah! The event thingy!

And the next event is: go back to cleaning.

Argh. I am going to kill whoever thought of this stupid event thingy.

I officially hate cleaning, by the way. I have been cleaning for hours (no, literally) and I think my arms are about to fall off from all the scrubbing I've done.

I'm starting to realize why Cinderella went for the Prince. I would, too, if only to get out of this horrible cleaning. And the screeching voices of my tow step-sister and step-mothers, which is slowly driving me insane.

No, let me rephrase that: they already drove me insane the first second I heard them.

Don't you dare mention that I've been insane far before that. I'd rather not hear it at the moment.

Finally, _finally_, it's time to go to bed. I'm so tired.

The last time I spoke to your unworthiness was two weeks ago.

Two weeks of cleaning. Nothing but cleaning. And the occasional break for a bath (praise be to baths), a meal, and sleep.

I definitely hate fairy tales even more now.

Well, today's the day of the ball. I'm so happy. What fun and joyness.

Not that it _will _be fun and joyness or anything, I'm just glad that I can get out of this house and get done with this stupid, idiotic fairy tale.

I want to stop _cleaning_.

And I am very much trying to avoid thinking of the whole kissing-the-enemy thing, okay? So please don't remind me.

Although I kind of just reminded myself.

Ugh.

Event thingy alert. Gee wizard, really. I am fully getting tired of this event thingy. Can't I go two seconds without having another stupid event to do? Can't I make one decision on what I want to do myself?

Obviously I can't.

Fairies in freaking heck. I have to help my step-sisters and my step-mother get ready. This ought to be fun.

Sarcasm.

In case you couldn't tell, of course.

Only then.

Yes, I am trying to procrastinate. So what? Leave me alone.

Okay, okay, I'll go. No reason to postpone the inevitable and all that, right?

"Step-mother?" I say warily as I walk into her room. Her rather large room. See, I realized a little while ago, while cleaning, that my house has a few...adjustments...on it. As in it's 50 billion times bigger. It's a manor now, while previously it was a shack that could have fallen down at any second.

And, okay, so maybe I should have noticed it sooner, you know, that my house is suddenly a manor.

Well, I didn't. So...right.

I don't like you.

"What do you want, Cinderella?" she asks, looking at me in disdain.

Sorry if I'm unable to find anything good to wear, Step-mother. It's not like _you're_ the one who gives me my clothes or anything. Really.

"I thought that you would want my help getting ready," I tell her.

Why can't she get ready herself? It's not really very hard. It's not like anything she'll do will make her look any better. As long as she keeps that horrible - horrible, horrible - expression on her face, she will always look...um, horrible.

Too many horribles, I know. But it's the truth!

Stop pestering me. I really don't appreciate it.

"Of course I can't get ready myself," she snaps at me. "Do you really expect me to put my own ball gown on? It'll be the talk of the town!"

Um...alright, then. Yes, I am so sure. The horror: woman dresses herself!

I can see it now. It'll be all over the headlines.

"What dress are you wearing, Step-mother?" I ask her, being as I have to know what dress she's wearing if she expects me to put it on her. It would kind of help.

"The blue one," she sniffed back at me.

Alrighty then...

I open her closet and, surprise, surprise, there are more than one blue dress in there. Well then. This is nice. If I ask her what particular dress it is, she'll go off on me. I definitely don't need that right now.

Not that there's anything else I can do. Repressing a groan, I turn back to my dearest step-mother.

"There are more than one blue dress in there," I point out to her.

She looks at me, rolls her eyes as if she can't believe my stupidity, and says, "It's the only one that could possibly be used at a ball."

Well, considering I've never _been_ to a ball...

I've noticed that my step-mother still has a lot of her basic personality. You know, if she was an evil fairy tale freak.

I look in the closet. Alright...blue with green trimming...no, too plain...blue with dark blue trimming...too ugly...blue with big bow...I shudder to think what that would look like on a person...blue with red...ugh...light blue...kill me now...blue-green...sure, if I was blind, maybe...

They're all ugly. I would never wear any of them to a ball. But I suppose I have to think from my step-mother's point of view, right?

So what would she like? Something that shows off her wealth...

My eyes land on the blue dress with the big bow. It's an eye-line dress covered with sequins and small bows, a big bow around the waist, tied at the back. The dress a deep blue that would have been pretty, if not for the complete ugliness of the dress as an ensemble. Feathers surrounding the v-neck puts a last touch on the absolutely catastrophic dress.

It also happens to be the most expensive-looking dress in there.

Just _perfect_.

I bring the dress out, heaving an all-suffering sigh. I have a right to, you know. I _am_ suffering here.

If this is the kind of dress I have to wear to the ball, I'm cutting the head off of my fairy god mother.

Oh, mercy of all those above, I just realized something. I'm going to have a fairy god mother. As in a _fairy_. A fairy! I don't like fairies, okay? And don't give me that whole, 'your best friend is a fairy' thing. I'm willing to be friends with her, because she actually _likes _me. Other fairies? No, they don't like me too much. Making me not like them, see?

I hate everyone and everything.

Especially fairies.

Heaving another all-suffering sigh, just for the heck of it, since I'm cool like that, I walk over to my step-mother.

"Is this the one you want?" I ask her, you know, just in case.

"Of course it is."

You don't have to be so mean about it. I bet I'm the only one smart enough to guess that you would actually _wear_ that hideous piece of...um, dress. Yeah.

Octavia, Goddess of all fairies, this is going to be so boring.

It's time to go to the ball. Excited I am. Yes, yes, very.

I'm not allowed to go, of course. My step-mother specifically forbid it. Well, I knew she would. But I had to all act distressed and stuff, because she would expect it and the event thingy told me to.

Now they are gone - yay, yay, praise be to Sidaeli (our Goddess) - and I have to wait until my fairy god-mother comes. That will be fun. I'm just jumping for joy, really.

No, seriously, I'm not. I bet you thought I was though. Of course you were, because you think I'm dumb, but I'm not.

You're so mean. Octae.

Octae is the shortened name of Octavia, most commonly used when using her name in vain, which is what elves do a lot. Sidae is the shortened version of the Elves' Goddess, which fairies commonly use in vain.

Jeez, you and your not-knowing-ness. Teaches me to never talk to humans again, it really does.

Where is my fairy Godmother? I'm tired of waiting. I just want to go to the ball, dance with Phoenix, loose my stupid slipper, have him run after me, agree to marry him, and then kiss him.

Did that just sound like I _like_ Phoenix to you as much as it did to me?

Yeah, well, I don't. Just so you know. I only mean, by saying those things, that I want to get done with this fairy tale, on to the next one and all such. Those are the events.

You really must get with the times.

Holy and Above, there was just this white flash. I bet it's my Godmother. Oh, just perfect, really.

That was sarcasm. But then it wasn't, because I _did_ want her to come, I just...didn't.

Yeah, so whatever, it doesn't make sense. Like I care.

"Whisper Silver?" I hear my fairy Godmother call out. "Are you here?"

Yes, I'm right here, in the chair before the fire. You know, the really big comfy one that I happen to be in love with.

Is it just me or does that sound rather like Europia? Euri's my best friend, by the way, the fairy. I haven't seen her yet in this stupid fairy tale and I want to. How annoying, yes?

I get up from my chair and walk over to the fairy, who is in the middle of the room.

And, oh, wow, coolness. Double coolness. Triple coolness. Quadruple...right, then, you get the idea, don't you?

Ha, though, you don't know why!

See, see, it's Europia! Europia is my fairy Godmother! Which means I won't have to deal with a fairy Godmother I don't like. And I know Euri's style is awesome, if a little...out there. Bright colors, unique fashions, and all that. It's still very nice and awesome, as said before. So I shouldn't be worried about the dress or anything. Ha, yes, actually I should be elated! Terribly elated! I _am_ elated! Yes!

So I'm a little excited. You can't blame me, really. I mean, look at my fairy Godmother. She's my best friend. And all that worrying was for nothing. Mwa ha.

"Um, hi," I greet her cautiously, not really sure what to say. It's not like she's going to remember me or anything.

"Hello!" Euri greets me happily. "I'm your fairy Godmother, Europia Yellow. You can call me Europia, of course, or even Euri if you prefer."

Acting time.

I look at her cautiously, suspiciously. "My fairy Godmother?"

Euri nods, grinning enthusiastically. "Yes, your fairy Godmother. I'm here to take you to a certain ball so you can meet a certain Prince. It's going to be so romantic. Just you see, Whisp."

Euri always calls me Whisp, which is incredibly annoying, but she never listens when I tell her not to call me it. I never really expected her to listen anyway.

"Oh, really?" I gush dramatically, willing my eyes to fill up with tears. It's hard, but I manage, me being the top of all coolness.

Euri nods again, grinning even more dramatically.

"I can get you a dress, shoes, jewelry, a carriage - anything you could possibly want for a ball!" Euri announces, spreading her arms wide to emphasize her point. She's always been a bit of a drama queen.

"Oh, wow!" I exclaim. "And you can do all of this right now? With your fairy magic?"

She nods, yet again. "Anything, all for you, my dear."

I grin so hard I fear I might just tear my jaw in two, which wouldn't really compliment the rest of my face.

"Let's hurry up, then!" I say. "The ball has already started."

It's only been ten minutes, and I am almost at the castle. I'm so excited. Woo!

My dress is absolutely gorgeous, of course. It's a purple dress (that matches my eyes) with a slight A-line. It's all velvety and soft. The sleeves are tight to my wrist, where the top is tight at to the middle of my hand, and then the bottom droops down really far. Awesome, really. The lining is light purple, and there are intricate light purple flowers and leaves all swirling together in the bottom half of the dress. The neckline is a plain circle, but there's a see-through purple cape thing hanging from the back of the neckline, swooping down to the floor. It flairs out when I walk, making me feel all cool. Ha ha.

Euri added a light purple tiara to my complicated bun of twists and braids. She also put little purple beads in my hair. The make up she put on was all purple tinted. I have a silver necklace with a purple rose pendant, which is wonderful.

And then, of course, there are the sparkling glass slippers that she charmed to be unbreakable. Good thing, too, because I would have broken them for sure otherwise.

I look awesome. More than awesome. Great.

Great is more than awesome, okay? Shut up. Never talk to me again.

Oh, oh, look, the castle is coming into view! Oooh, it's very pretty. I see a lot of people. It's rather intimidating, really.

We pull up to the castle in my wonderful orange (yes, orange - it was made out of a pumpkin, okay?) carriage and I hop out, forgetting to wait to be helped out. Whatever, I'm excited.

The doorman looks at me, my expensive dress and jewels, and says, "To the right, my Lady."

Ha, yes, I get to go to the ball room where the Prince actually is! Must be because I'm just so damn beautiful and all. Of course.

Not that I really _want_ to see Phoenix. It's just that I kind of _have_ to, you know.

Yes.

Just thought we'd get that straight.

I take a deep breath and walk into the huge room. Actually, huge is a rather, um, huge understatement. No, really, it is. The room is...is...wow.

I tell the announcer-dude my name and walk down the stairs, everyone looking at me. I'd like to think it's because my great beauty and all-around charisma, but I think that it's because of the announcer's rather large voice, you know, reverberating around the room.

As soon as Phoenix sees me he walks straight toward me, obviously his own event thingy telling him to do so. Mine is telling me to curtsey to the nice Prince (nice, yeah, I am so sure) and murmur my how-do-you do.

Phoenix bows low over my outstretched hand, keeping a lock on my eyes the whole time down until he kisses my hand, then straightening. It's considered a very sexy and personal way to greet someone, showing that they have definite interest in the other.

I'm touched.

"Come, my Lady," he says. "Let us dance."

"I would be delighted to," I respond, even though I'm cringing inside. Ugh. I have to dance with Phoenix.

And he kissed my hand. He got his nasty Phoenix-germs all over my poor hand.

A slow song is playing and we get into position, close for the sake of those watching.

"How long must we continue this?" I say under my breath, careful to let none others hear. We're supposed to be falling in love right now.

Yeah, right. That's going to happen.

"'Till midnight, of course, my dear Cinderella," Phoenix responds mockingly. "Did your fairy Godmother not tell you?"

I groan, but keep a smile on my face. I must look pretty freaky right now. Whatever.

"You do realize that groaning while smiling thoroughly scares me, don't you?" Phoenix murmurs into my ear.

I punch him in the chest where no one can see, but he only grins more.

A faster song is coming on. Oh, great. Just perfect. I hate fast songs.

Although that _will _mean I get to be farther away from Phoenix, so that's got to be good, right?

Right. But of course.

The dance is terribly fast-paced. Okay, so it might be just a little fun. But just a little, I swear. I mean, how could I possibly enjoy dancing with _Phoenix_? That's crazy. Insane. Completely illogical.

I still kind of like it, though.

At 11:55, the music stops and the Queen, Phoenix's mother, stands up.

"I have an important announcement," she says. "My son, Phoenix, is at an age where marriage is imperative. And so, it is to my great enjoyment to announce to all you good people that Phoenix has chosen a bride. Ladies and Gentlemen, please meet - "

"Mother," Phoenix interrupts from where he stands beside me. "Please, allow me to speak."

Her mother nods.

"I would like to announce my future bride - well, if she accepts, of course - on my own."

The Queen and King look at each other, and then the King says, "Do as you will, my son."

Phoenix nods. "Please welcome my future bride, Whisper Silver Rose. At least, hopefully she will accept."

Everyone follows Phoenix's gaze to me. Little old me. Well, gee wizard, I'm speechless. That may, however, have to do with me staring up in horror at the ticking clock.

It has just reached midnight. Time for me to take my - rather dramatic, I must say - leave.

I dash between the crowd, running for the stairs.

"Cinderella!" I hear from behind me. I ignore him, something I enjoy doing. He he.

I continue running until I reach the carriage, a slipper falling from my foot just before I reach it. Keep in mind, of course, that this is all pretend. I'm not really running, he's not really distressed, you know, all that. Ew.

Well, okay, so I actually _am_ running, but not for the fairy tale reason. I'm running because I want to get _out_ of this stupid fairy tale. The event thingy, see, told me to do it.

I get home ten minutes later, crying. Yes, in that ten minutes I did manage to cry. I am so proud of myself. I rock, I swear.

I'm in ugly, rag clothes again by this time, the makeup gone, my hair a mess, it being past midnight and all. The slipper that is still on my foot didn't disappear, of course. That would ruin everything, wouldn't it?

I would just die.

Eh, yeah, well, the point is, it's past midnight so I'm not at the ball anymore.

And I was having such a good time, too. Midnight is such a party pooper.

The door bursts open, my step-sisters and step-mother barging through, looking incredibly angry. Oh, suck it up, please. I happen to _know_ I wasn't supposed to be at the stupid ball.

Octae.

"What the _hell_ gave you the impression that you could defy my rule and go to the bloody ball?" my step-mother explodes as soon as she sees me.

"And how _dare_ you hog the Prince the whole night?" my other sister, Peace Blue, snaps at me. "There are other, more _worthy_ women out there who would like a chance without you _brainwashing _him."

Brainwashing? Ha. Try acting.

"Speaking of bloody brainwashing," Silence puts in, "you made him propose to you. You! It's absolutely preposterous. Imagine, a servant girl, no better than a slave, marrying the Prince! It's laughable, it really is."

This is the part where I get angry.

Ugh.

I don't want to. How annoying. I'm not really angry. Actually, I think this whole thing is pretty funny. Me, marry Phoenix? No. Definitely not.

Okay, shut up. About me being basically betrothed to him, that is. In fact, just shut up all together.

There. That's better.

"Laughable?" I scoff. "What is _laughable_ is that you actually think the Prince would ever like you! Either of you! You are both repulsive. Maybe not in the face, but you sure as Octae have a repulsive personality. The Prince would not be able to stand being with the two of you for more than five minutes without having a spasm attack."

"Oh, please," Peace says coldly. "That's ridiculous. What are you, the expert on the Prince? I doubt you know the first thing about him."

"I learned a lot about the Prince when I was dancing with him for hours," I remind her, smiling cheekily.

"You!" Peace explodes angrily.

"Me!" I mock.

I know, I know, immature. But, whatever, okay? I really don't care about how stupid my insults and comebacks are at the moment. I'm not even angry.

Well, no, I am. I'm angry at _Phoenix_ for taking so bloody _long_ to get here. Can't he just find the stupid slipper and bring it here?

It can't be that hard. It's not like it's invisible or anything.

Okay, seriously, shut up. It's not _invisible_. It's just _clear_. There is definitely a difference.

Ah, ah, a knock on the door! Joy be to halleluiah!

I rush to answer the door, beating Silence, Peace, and my step-mother. I am the fastest of all fastestness.

"Hey!" I say happily as I swing the door open to find none other than - surprise - Phoenix.

"Oh, your Highness!" I say, suddenly realizing who I was supposed to be (you know, timid, weak, annoying Cinderella).

I curtsy low and, wouldn't you know it, fall over. In front of Phoenix of all people.

Perfect.

Phoenix immediately rushes down to help me. As he's pulling me up, I hiss, "I'd rather die than curtsey to you again. That one met nothing."

"I would expect nothing less, my Lady," he says back, eyes sparkling with amusement.

What a loser. He probably is still thinking about how I fell over. Octae, he's never going to let me live that one down.

"What are you doing here?" I ask timidly, resuming my roll as Cinderella.

"My Lord Phoenix Red," Nirvana says from his position behind Phoenix, where he's holding a glass slipper on a red pillow, "is looking for the Lady Cinderella, who he wishes to be his bride. She left behind this small slipper, and whoever fits it must, then, be the Lady Cinderella."

What if someone has the same shoe size as me? Okay, so maybe it's _incredibly_ unlikely, being as I have freakishly small feet, but still. Whatever.

I nod and lead the Phoenix and Nirvana into the room, where Silence, Peace, and my step-mother are waiting.

The three gasp and curtsey.

"Please, please, rise," Phoenix says graciously.

They do so. Well, yeah, duh, he's the Prince.

Phoenix tries the slipper on Peace and Silence and then moves toward me. I take this as my cue.

Taking off the slipper still on my foot, I hold it out and say, "I still have one, your Highness."

Peace and Silence gasp.

"That's mine!" Peace insists.

"No, you are such a liar, Peace!" Silence shouts. "That's mine!"

"Octae, you both already tried the slipper on," I say, rolling my eyes. "It doesn't fit."

Peace growls and moves toward me, grabbing the slipper. That growl was a bit intimidating. I'm officially scared now.

I hold on tight to the slipper and we pull back and forth, until it falls onto the floor, shattering. See, the unbreakable charm was only in place as long as it was on my foot.

"Oh, no," I say in a small voice, even though it was entirely intentional.

You know, acting and all that.

Phoenix rushes forward and takes my hands. "Do not worry, my Lady."

He turns to Peace. "That was out of line, Lady Peace."

Phoenix looks behind him and nods to Nirvana, who comes forward with the slipper.

"Will you, Whisper Silver Rose," Phoenix says, slipping the shoe easily onto my foot, "marry me, Phoenix Red Clearess, not as a Prince, but as a man who loves you, and I, in turn, will marry you, not for being the most beautiful woman in the world, but for being a woman who loves me."

He sure has the dramatics down. I bet you he's having fun with this. Or he's trying to postpone the kiss. Whichever.

Ugh, I have to say it now. And I have to act all disgustingly happy. Ugh.

"Of course I will, Phoenix," I choke out, smiling happily (even though I'm fully anything but), tears in my eyes. "I love you."

I cannot believe I just said that. I just said I loved him. Yeah, he knows I didn't mean it, but _still_. Ew.

I stand up quickly, hugging him tightly.

Oh Octae, here we go. He's going to kiss me. No. No no no no no. Please.

We both lean back slightly so we can look each other in the eye. I see fear in his eyes. I hope he sees the disgust in mine. Because I am disgusted, by the way. He's going to _kiss_ me.

Phoenix leans forward and covers his mouth with mine, quickly, pulling back as soon as possible. I barely even felt his lips.

Not that that's a bad thing. Actually, it's very good. His lips probably have poison in them.

Wait...nothing's happening.

Shit.

"Maybe you have to kiss me longer," I say cautiously.

Peace, Silence, and my step-mother are looking at us strangely. I don't care.

"Don't think that I like doing this," Phoenix informs me, his violet eyes flashing.

"I don't like it any more than you do, Phoenix."

He nods and leans forward once, more, this time putting his lips on mine for a soft, lingering kiss.

Wow. He kisses good. It actually feels good. I can almost feel all his emotions through the kiss, you know? All his anger, his frustration, his confusion...

Octae, please do not tell me I just thought that. Kill me now.

Phoenix pulls back.

"Why isn't it working?" he grinds out, before leaning in to kiss me once more.

The kiss is deeper this time. His tongue slowly gains entry to my mouth, and I kiss him back, enjoying the feeling of our tongues in each others mouths. I cannot believe I am kissing Phoenix. But, damn, it feels _so good_.

What the hell is my problem?

We pull back again.

"What did we do wrong?" I pant out, slightly out of breath from the kiss.

Phoenix shakes his head. "I don't know. Here, let me try again. This has to work."

He leans forward and kisses me once, hard. Still nothing.

I'm going to die. I swear, I'll die, I really will.

"I don't - " Phoenix stops abruptly, his eyes widening. "Shit. Whisper, you're supposed to kiss _me_."

I did!

"What do you mean?" I ask him. "I did kiss you."

Phoenix shakes his head. "No, you have to _start_ the kiss, remember?"

Oh, crap, he's right, isn't he? We did those stupid kisses for nothing.

I take a deep breath and lean forward, standing on my tiptoes to peck him lightly on the mouth.

Everything around me disappears.

A/N: I really hope you liked this chapter. I'm nervous about it…I hope you still like the story after this chapter. I'm always scared people won't like a story after the second chapter. I'm not really sure why.

And Phoenix will be more developed in time. He just doesn't wear his emotions on his sleeve quite so much as Whisper does.

Next chapter part of it is in Phoenix's point of view.

Rose: Thanks a lot. I'm glad you like the names. I like them too. :D

Amber Spirit: Thanks for reviewing. I updated, see?

Lulai: I'm glad you like Whisp. And I will explain why Phoenix and Whisp are enemies - probably in the next chapter. I just have to find the proper place to fit it in. I could really use that anti-writer's block stick. For the future, of course. I don't have Writer's Block at the moment. Yay. Maybe I'll steal the anti-writer's block stick from you…

Shady Lane: Ah! Not the banana stealing Gwen Stefanis! That would be bad. I'm glad you like Whisp and my story. Thanks for reviewing.

intriKate: Thank you. I know what you mean. I feel like I've read every good story there is, and they all aren't updating. I'm glad you consider my story one of the good ones.

Druantia: I'm glad you think this is interesting and amusing and dramatic. Hm…I seem to be saying glad al lot in these responses. I must stop. Well, I am glad. Thank you.

TrudiRose: Thank you! Yeah, I'm happy you like Whisper's way of speaking. My friend told me she didn't like it because it wasn't the way she imagined elves speaking. Ha, you like my lines. That's great. I love that you quoted them. And, yes, the curse is intriguing. More than you know, actually, but I'm not saying anything more about that.

Gina: Thank you so much. Thank you for saying the plot is unique. I try to make my plots as unique as possible, but I always worry that someone else has written about the same thing.

aureusangel: Thank you. I'm happy you like it. Yes, I'm sorry about the cussing. I don't usually do it much myself, but that's just who Whisp is. I'm sorry again that you don't like it. I'll try not to have her swear too much, but again, that's who Whisp is.

Glaze: You Love it with a capital 'L'? Thank you! You find my story charming? That's awesome. Thank you. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Poisonmoon: Thank you. I hope you find this chapter good as well.

WildPixieChild: Thank you! I'm sorry for the long update wait.

Northeren Lady: Thanks! Yes, it would be rather funny, wouldn't it? I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Abby: Thank you. I will keep going with this story. It's my favorite one at the moment. And thank you for praising the names.

AshRB: I'm sorry you don't understand. Perhaps you didn't read carefully enough? I guess it can be hard to understand for some people. Sorry. It might be better not to read this if you don't understand, because if you don't understand the first chapter you probably won't understand the rest. Um, I'm not sure what you mean about both the elf and the human being cursed. Whisp is cursed, and, because of the nature of her curse, I guess you could say her True Love is as well. As for me hating fairies, I don't. I love fairies, just like you do. The elfin race hates fairies. Whisper doesn't really hate fairies, either. She said herself that she doesn't hate the fairies, even if her race does. Her best friend is a fairy. I don't know where you got the idea that I hate fairies. And that's alright, the review didn't hurt my feelings. Judging from everyone else's understanding of this story, you probably didn't read carefully enough. I'm not saying you are less intelligent than anyone else, I'm just saying you skipped a few things. And I'm glad you'd like the story if you could understand it. I hope I cleared up a few things for you.


	3. Walk Like An Animal

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A/N: So…okay, I know it's been forever, but I've decided to actually write the next chapter. Yay me. This chapter isn't as long as the last one, but I think it's better if the chapters are a little shorter so that I can update faster (once every one year instead of once every two years, ha ha). No, really, though, I'm hoping to update more quickly. Of course, I tend to say that a lot and it doesn't happen, but…I'll try.

Oh, and I know none of you who have read this story already remember anything that's happened because it's been so long, but that's alright. You can just read it again, ha ha ha! No, just kidding. Unless you want to…

Oh, and I know Swan Lake is a ballet or whatever, but in my world it's called the Swan Queen and it's a fairy tale, okay? And I switched it around a bit. But no complaining because this is an entirely different world, so I can do what I want, ha ha.

Anyway, here you go.

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3

Walk Like An Animal

* * *

__

It is always the best policy to speak the truth--unless, of course, you are an exceptionally good liar.

Jerome K. Jerome (1859 - 1927)

* * *

I'm wet.

As in really, really wet. My hair, too. I was plopped (yes, very rudely plopped, I might add) in a lake, a _lake_, and I fell over in shock, thus wetting my hair, and everything else for that matter.

Ugh-ness to the max. Yes, the max. Higher than the max. Higher than -

Yeah, well, you get the point.

I suppose I should get out of this stupid, horrific, lake, shouldn't I?

As I trudge out, I realize that it's night. Well, of course it's night. It's past midnight. Very late. It doesn't matter, anyway, that it's night. No point in mentioning it, really.

I guess. Whatever.

Ooh, look, there's someone there. A girl. A younger girl, about 16, maybe 17. She has light blue hair kept in a ponytail, a small braid off to the side. She has really dark eyes, black, I think...no, no, purple. Huh. Well, that's strange. Last I knew violet eyes were really rare, and now Phoenix, I, and this strange girl have violet eyes.

Well, whatever. My eyes are still original! Different shades, you see.

Ugh, she's a fairy. Okay, okay, I will not be prejudiced against her because of this. I will not. I will not.

I won't, okay?

Maybe I should go meet her. Perhaps she knows what is going on here, and why my stupid event thingy isn't working.

"Um, hi," I greet her when I step out of the lake to where she stands.

"Hello," she says. "My name is Sora Mizuiro. I was sent here by Aurora when she learned that you no longer have the mental capability to determine when and what events are going to occur. I know a lot about fairy tales. I was also sent here to be your protector."

My protector? Why do I need anyone to protect me? Besides, I have my elf magic, don't I? Granted, it's not as good as fairy magic, but still. I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself.

Humph.

And my event thingy isn't working anymore? How depressing. And it was so useful, too.

Probably all your fault, really. Again. Octae, it's always your fault, isn't it? I suppose I shan't talk to you ever again.

Okay, I will. But only because I'm bored. And Sora is looking at me expectantly, waiting for me to respond.

Well, then, I shall. Respond, that is. Of course.

"Why do I need a protector?" I ask. I'm not, however, done there. Whatever, alright, I have a lot of questions. You're lucky, really, that I'm narrowing down my questions so much. So...ha. "And how do you know a lot about fairy tales? And why doesn't my event thingy work anymore? How did Aurora know about the event thingy working? Who are you? I mean, I know who you are, but I don't know, you know, where you came from and all that. Why did Aurora choose you? How does Aurora know you? How come she's never told me about you before?"

Alright, then, maybe I didn't narrow down the questions as much as I should have. Whatever.

Sora shakes her head in exasperation. "I can only answer one question at a time, Whisper Silver."

"You can just call me Whisper," I tell her. "Erm, you can begin with the first question. Why I need a protector."

Sora nods and seems to be thinking of the right thing to say. Why doesn't she just say it out right? That's what I would have done.

Okay, maybe her way's smarter.

"There are more...dangers...in this fairy tale than the other," she finally says. "Not the events, per se, but certain people who happen to be after you. I am very good with blades, particularly the Katana, and I have mastered basic elemental spells. I would be of great use to you as your protector. Aurora knows this, so she sent me after you."

Hmm...um, okay. Well, that's nice. Someone's after me. Probably someone big and scary and evil. Because, you know, that's how I roll.

I clench my jaw, struggling against strangling Sora just because she's the closest being and I'd really like to strangle someone.

Why would someone be after _me_ anyway? I'm nobody! Really, I am, trust me. I mean, sure, I'm wonderful and amazing and all, that's a given, but why would someone want to _kill_ me? I haven't done anything! Octae! People are so mean! And now I'm going to die!

I should probably calm down. I really don't want to have a panic attack in front of a bloody fairy. I am way cooler than that. Seriously.

Whatever. Who's after me? Ooh, a new question. Octae, this could become a really long list of questions.

"And before you ask," Sora says, "I don't know who's after you. I was never informed. I doubt even Aurora knows."

Is she telling the truth? I mean, it seems pretty strange that Aurora knows someone's after me, and yet doesn't know who it is. And if she does, but didn't tell Sora, why didn't she, if Sora is to protect me? Perhaps Sora is lying, for what she thinks 'my sake.' Perhaps nobody is telling me the truth. Perhaps I'm just a pawn and all that.

I look into Sora's dark purple eyes. No...no, she's telling the truth. She has to be.

I nod. "So, um, how do you know so much about fairy tales?"

Sora shrugs in answer. "I don't know. I suppose I'm just interested in them."

"But...don't fairies hate fairy tales, just as elves do?" I ask.

Nothing makes sense.

Sora smiles, a small, almost secretive one. Definitely secretive. "I'm different than most fairies you see."

When I catch her eyes, I am once more compelled to believe her, unconditionally. There's just something about her that makes me want to trust her, completely, no questions asked. Maybe it's foolish, and it probably is, but I can't help it.

Go away and stop judging me. Just because I suddenly trust a stranger, when I normally barely trust anyone, doesn't mean anything's amiss. You are so untrusting. Jeez, get a heart.

"So - " I begin, but Sora interrupts me.

"I'm tired, and do not wish to answer anymore questions that I don't know the answer to," Sora says. "I'll put in your head with my magic what you must say to the Prince when he comes, but you must seek me out after to learn what to do next. I live alone, on the boundaries of the town in this forest. It's a small cottage, hard to see. Ask someone in the village about it if you can't find it - they'll know."

"Wait!" I call after her. "You can't just leave like that! You need to answer my questions! You need to..."

I trail off, realizing that it's useless; she's already gone.

Well, bummer.

I stand here for a minute, not knowing what to do. Well, not exactly a minute. More like a minute and a half. Or a minute and three quarters. Or...

Right, then, I'll shut up now. Besides, somebody's coming. Mwa ha.

"Your majesty," the young woman who approaches me says, curtsying deeply.

Ooh, I'm a Queen? How awesome. I wonder what fairy tale this is.

"I am sorry to interrupt your ponderings, but there is a young man we have captured," she tells me. "He tells us that he wishes to speak with our leader."

My 'ponderings?' He he. I ponder!

I know, I know, it only means think. Whatever. I still think the word is funny. You really shouldn't make fun of people who aren't used to bigger words. And people apologizing for interrupting their thinking.

"Of course," I say. "Lead the way to him."

The woman nods. I like her hair. It's pure white, and yet she's obviously young, probably around 20. And her eyes are a really pale purple. Like, almost white.

Octae, what is up with all these purple eyes?

So, yeah, maybe it's making me feel like my purple eyes aren't so special anymore. But, please, I've had these eyes that everyone told me were so great my whole life, and now everyone seems to have the same eyes.

Alright, not the same. They're different shades of purple. But still...

Oh, I know! I have the best, most enchanting shade of purple! Mine are all bright and electric, and that lady's eyes are pale, and Sora's are dark, and Phoenix's are...soft, I guess. Hard to explain his eyes. Hm. Not that they're soft in a good way or anything, just kind of mixture between being a darker purple and pale at the same time. That's what I meant by soft. Not kind...or warm...

I'll just go now and, um...follow the...um, woman... Right.

I start moving but pause, looking down at my clothes. I'm wearing a dress. Why am I wearing a dress? It's not like I'm a tomboy or anything, but really, how inconvenient can dresses get? And here I am wearing one, it being fit for a ball.

It's really rather pretty, though. Gorgeous, you could say. I could definitely say. It's pure white, simple, but entirely elegant and...ethereal. Yes, that's the perfect word for the dress. Ethereal. It's almost silk, but not quite. A cross between silk and velvet, I guess. It's a very thin material. Thinner than silk. Wow. And yet it's so...strong, you know? The top of it has little designs sewn in with an off-white color. They're...swans. Cool. And the bottom has pearls sewn on the hem, and a big swan sewn across the length of the skirt. The sleeves go down to my wrist, tight at the shoulders and gradually getting looser until they droop at the wrist, almost to my feet.

This is the best dress I have ever worn. Somehow it doesn't really seem inconvenient now. I feel as if I could run and jump and kick someone's ass in it. He he. Maybe I should kick Phoenix's ass. That would definitely be fun. And satisfying. Yes, very satisfying.

I see that the woman has paused, obviously waiting for me to follow. I do so. Because, well, you know, I have to see this guy that they captured. Ha, I bet you it's Phoenix. What a loser.

"Wait!" a lady exclaims from ahead of us, holding up both hands. Ooh...it's my mother. He he. "You cannot see the man like this. You know that. Wait until morning, Your Majesty. Then you shall meet with him."

Hmm...why, though? It doesn't make any sense. But before I can voice my thoughts, the words Sora had put in my head slipped off my tongue.

"Of course, Lady Jade," I tell her. Um, not of course. I don't want to wait until morning. I want this stupid fairy tale to be over with.

If I have to wait for days like the last fairy tale, I swear to Octavia and Sidaeli above, I will kill myself. Yes, kill myself. Then maybe, you know, I wouldn't have to do this whole stupid fairy tale thing. Unless Octavia makes me, because she is the Goddess of Love in addition to the Goddess of Fairies. See, I have two reasons to hate her.

Ha. Ha ha ha.

Whatever. I'm going to sleep. I'm tired.

* * *

It's not my birthday. And I'm not 21.

Not that anyone seems to care that my birthday is in December (it's currently 400 degrees out - well, no, but it feels like it. Sidae, has anyone in this castle ever heard of opening windows?) and I'm only 20. Nope. All for the sake of the fairy tale, right?

This fairy tale, I must say, is worse than Cinderella. In Cinderella I didn't have much of a part to play. I just sat there looking my best (which is very good, you must agree) and let Whisper do all the work. Now I actually have to do something. I happen to be just as an important character in this as Whisp is.

My name is Siegfreid. _Siegfreid_. How much fun will Whisp have making fun of me for that? I can't believe they had to change my name. They didn't call me Prince Charming in Cinderella (thank Octavia). Why call me Prince Siegfreid now?

I asked Sora, and, according to her, the first fairy tale is more of a practice fairy tale, of sorts. Meaning the events are put in your head and I don't get my name changed. But Whisper did (probably because the fairy tale's named after her and all).

I had fun laughing at her over that.

"Siegfreid," Whisper's brother says from beside me. "Your mother's coming."

In this fairy tale, apparently, Nirvana is my friend. He was only the Herald in the last one. Nirvana has been my best friend since we were kids, so I've always like him. Better than Whisper.

Sidae, she's annoying. And vain. And I hate how she acts like she's so much better than everyone else. And...

Well, you've seen her. You were just with her a second ago. Left her for me, have you? I know, she's horribly boring, isn't she? Although she can be amusing sometimes, when she doesn't mean to be.

Meaning I think her stupidity is amusing, not her. Or, yes, her, but…

You're confusing me. I'm trying to greet my mother. Do you mind?

"Siegfreid, dear," my mother greets me.

Sidae, she's freaking me out. When's the last time she called me dear? My mother would never call me dear. I like that. Please get this insane woman away from me. Now.

"Siegfreid, honey, what's wrong?" my mother asks, concern showing plainly in her eyes. There she goes again. _Honey_.

Oh, don't get me wrong. My mother's great. It's just we aren't...touchy-feely.

Ugh. Shudder.

My mother is like my friend. You know, a guy friend. She's just one of the guys. She's not...all..._dear _and _honey_.

Imagine your best friend, your guy friend, and you're a guy too, and then he starts calling you 'dear' and honey.' Yes, I know. Not pleasant.

Now, how to get away from her without her noticing...

"Sieggy, honey," my mother says.

Please do not tell me she just called me Sieggy. I can deal with honey and dear and all that. Maybe. With time. But, Sidae, _Sieggy_?

"You've heard the news," my mother states, sighing. Well, no, I haven't, but do go on. "Oh, and I had so wanted to tell you myself. Your father's illness is very distressing, I know. However, there may be a way to make him better."

My father is ill? If this idiotic fairy tale kills my father, I'll…

Well, I don't know what I'll do. But something. Something.

"Is there something I can do, mother?" I ask.

Sora put those words in my head. I wouldn't say them regularly. I want my father to live, of course, I'm just not very…helpful. I would say something along the lines of, "What the hell do the Healers do all day? How did they let my father get sick? Why in Sidae's name did you hire murderers? Are you going to hire more? You know what, don't, because everybody's too lazy to do anything anyway." And so on, and so forth, until someone forces me to shut up.

So, yeah, maybe I just need a scapegoat.

No, I'm not an asshole. Don't believe anything Whisp tells you. She'll always be wrong. Trust me. I'm always right, she's always wrong. It's just the way life works, okay? Nothing you say will change it.

Sidae, you've been around her too much.

"Oh, Sieggy," my mother gushes, her eyes filling with tears. This is getting too disturbing. My mother, crying? No. She just doesn't do that. "You're such a hero. Of course you can do something! In fact, I know just how you can save him."

Oh, how convenient. You just _happen _to know _just _the way to heal him. Wow.

"Oh, mother, that's wonderful," I say, truing hard not to cringe at the rather - er - embarrassing words. "Whatever could it be?"

Please shoot me. Now.

"It's rather simple, dear," she tells me. I'm sure. "All you have to do is go into the forest and find the Swan Queen. She will know what to do."

At this point, I am sure you must know, I have to resist the urge to laugh. Whisper is a swan. A _swan_.

I will have so much fun laughing at her about this later. I just wish I could be there when she finds out she's stuck in the Swan Queen fairy tale. Assuming she's even heard of the Swan Queen. I suppose she hasn't. Not many fairies and elves know as many fairy tales as I do, with the, you know…

No, you don't know, do you? Ha. Well, we'll just have to keep it that way, won't we? I refuse to talk about my knowledge of fairy tales or how I got that knowledge. Not even Sora knows, although I suspect her knowledge of fairy tales is for a similar reason that mine is.

But I'm not talking about this with you.

"I shall set off immediately, mother," I tell her.

I feel completely stupid, talking like this, as I must have mentioned before (a few times, maybe). Thank Octavia Whisper isn't here to laugh at me. That is, of course, presuming swans can actually laugh.

I think my mother can see my lips twitching. She's looking at me strangely. Sidae, I'm starting to know how it feels to be Whisper, with everyone looking at you weirdly.

Not that I'm anything like Whisper. She's insane and annoying and judgmental and vain and I'm…not.

I'm not, okay?

"Oh, Sieggy, dear, do be careful. I cannot imagine what I would do if you never came home. Oh, but if only your father was healthy enough to protect you."

That would defeat the whole purpose of me going in the first place, mother, thus he wouldn't have to go with me after all. And if you're so worried about me, why don't you come with me yourself?

Oh, yes, this is my new mother. I keep forgetting. My old mother would have come with me without a thought, maybe even gone herself, but this one, she's so…

Flaky. Yes. That's a good word. Flaky.

"Of course, mother. I wish the same. Oh, if only."

If I hear one more "Oh," I will punch something. Or somebody. Whisper would be fine for me.

Ha.

"Goodbye, dearest." My mother is definitely about to cry.

Perfect time to take my leave, right?

* * *

I'm a swan. A bloody fairy-loving _swan_.

I cannot believe this. Please tell me this is not happening.

This isn't happing, right?

Oh, Octae. Imagine what Phoenix will say. I cannot see him like this. Do they really expect me to see him like this? Why in Octae's name would I ever want to see him like this?

A swan swims through the lake toward me.

**Your Majesty,** the swan says…into my head.

Holy Octavia! She can speak into my head.

Ohh. Freaky. Can I do it, too?

**Yes?** I say, a result of the magic goodness that was Sora (as in she put words into my head).

Hmm…she also seemed to have left information that it's not called saying - it's called put-outing. He he. That's hilarious.

Yes, I know. Immature. But, please, who wouldn't think of that? Jeez.

**It is time to see the intruder,** she informs me.

Ohhhh no. I cannot see him. Oh Octae no. No way, no how, no -

**Thank you, Lady Jade,** I say.

Bloody Octavia fairy asshole. Sora again.

Oh, cruddy fairies. Now I'm moving toward her. No, stop, Whisper, stop! For the love of your sanity and pride, stop!

I don't, of course.

I will kill Sora when I see her again.

* * *

Oh Sidae, this is even funnier than I imagined. She has this weird expression on her face that makes her look rather constipated. Ha, I've seen that expression on her face before, except now she has a swan face.

This is too good.

Would you please shut up? she growls.

Wait. Did she just…?

"You can read my thoughts?" I ask, incredulous. "And I can read yours?"

She roles her swan eyes. **Well, how else are we supposed to talk?**

I narrow my eyes. I do not want her reading my thoughts. I don't want _anyone _reading my thoughts, least of all her.

**Then guard your thoughts,** she snaps at me.

Oh, wow, why didn't I think of that? Because, you know, I've had my worst enemy turn into a swan and invade my thoughts before, and all.

**I'm not invading your thoughts,** she growls at me. **Actually, for your information, I'm not technically listening to your thoughts. It's just that you're not used to hearing people speak mind-to-mind with you, so you don't know how to separate your thoughts and your put-outs.**

I let out a laugh. Put-outs? Sidae, I cannot believe she just called it that.

Whisp looks at me again with that constipated look. This is beyond hilarious.

**You try doing Octae-damned expressions on a damn swan,** she snaps at me angrily.

**And stop saying Sidaeli's name in vain, **she adds.

**Because that isn't slightly hypocritical,** I think back to her.

Oh, sorry, put-out.

**Well, that's the word Sora put in my head to call it, **Whisper informs me. **It's not like I have a choice.**

**Oh, come on,** I say…er…put-out,** there has to be a better word for it.**

Please. I do not think I can take saying/thinking that all the time without cracking up.

**You're disgusting, you know that?** she puts-out, erm put-outs…

**Is it puts-out or put-outs?** I ask her curiously.

She rolls her eyes.** I don't know. There's a hyphen, so I think it would be put-outs, because put-out is one word.**

I nod. Hmm…

**Anyway,** she put-outs. He he. **Now tell me what the hell you came here for.**

I look at her, surprised.

**Don't you know? **I ask.

She gives me the constipated look again, which I think is supposed to be a glare.

**Would you please learn to guard your damn thoughts! **she screams at me.

Ow. She's giving me a bloody headache.

**How, exactly, am I supposed to do that?**

She rolls her eyes again. She seems to like to do that, though I personally think it looks rather freakish on a swan.

**I just told you,** she put-outs. **You have to discern which is your thoughts and which is your put-outs in your brain. Just like you have to put your food and your drinks down the right tubes. You just do it automatically.**

**Easy for you to say,** I put-out to her. **Sora bloody put it in your head. I, unfortunately, was not given the same luxury.**

**I don't know how else to explain it,** she says.** You try to explain how you decide where your food goes and where your air goes**.

**It's easy,** I put-out.** You just put your food down the food tube and your air down the air tube.**

**Octae, you're frustrating! **she explodes.

Ha. I wish she would literally explode.

**_Wrong bloody tube_**_**!**_

* * *

I could kill him, I really could.

If, you know, he wasn't my ticket out of this damn fairy tale whirlwind.

**Okay,** I put-out, barely able to suppress my outburst. I can already feel my hand…erm…_wing_ twitching. Soon I'm going to break out into all-out spasms. **Tell me what you're doing here.**

He rolls his eyes at me. Asshole.

**Don't you already know? **he asks.

I glare at him again before stopping, remembering how he told me it made me look like I was constipated.

Again: asshole.

**No, I don't already know,** I put-out.** I don't even know what the bloody hell this fairy tale is.**

**I forgot how ignorant you are,** he grumbles.

I try to glare at him without narrowing my eyes. That always seems to be my undoing. The narrowing of the eyes. Especially in swan-form.

**Oh, yes, because I just love fairy tales and study them all the time,** I put-out sarcastically. **Which, of course, begs the question why _you _have such an extensive knowledge of said fairy tales.**

Phoenix dismisses my very valid question with the wave of a most annoying hand.

**It doesn't matter,** Phoenix put-outs.** I just know. It's nothing special.**

I narrow my eyes in suspicion, but mostly because, as a general rule, I don't trust Phoenix.

**Keep your stupid secrets, then,** I put-out. **It's not like I care anyway. Just say what you will so that the fairy tale can continue.**

Phoenix nods, rolls his eyes, and says out loud, in a monotone, bored voice, "Great Swan Queen, I beg of you, help me. I plead my case to you on this night - tell me of the Great Cure for my father's illness."

**What a stupid line, **Phoenix put-outs silently.

Obviously, he was made to say that (rather stupid, as he mentioned) line.

**I wish to help you, dear sir,** I put-out. I'm beginning to think that my line will be much worse.** However, there are certain requirements that must be upheld before I tell you of the Great Cure. The tasks are this, as such: you must allow me to let me live with you, eat from your plate, drink from your goblet, sleep upon your bed, and you must declare eternal love for me.**

**Sleep in my bed?** he put-outs in shock and disgust.

The whole love thing, I suppose, is a bit unnerving, but it's just a declaration - not the truth. But sleeping in his bed, _that _is difficult.

I glare at him - my nice, pretty, new glare, of course, the one where I don't narrow my eyes but still manage to look threatening.

Mwa ha ha. I am so evil.

**I don't like it any more than you do,** I snap.

I don't. I have to share a bed with him. You think I really want to do that?

Octae, I have to share a bed with him. I have to share a bed with him. _I have to share a bed with him_. I have to share a BED with him. I have to SHARE A -

**Now look who's not 'guarding their thoughts,' **Phoenix mocks me - rather badly, if I do say so myself, in a much too high-pitched voice.

I do not sound like that, thanks.

I don't.

**Would you just say your next bloody line?** I growl at him.

He he. I'm a swan and I'm growling. I rock.

I growl again, just for the heck of it. Damn, I have turned swans everywhere into growling _machines_!

Phoenix is looking at me strangely.

I glare at him.

**What?**

**You were growling,** he put-outs, still looking at me strangely.** And you weren't guarding your thoughts.**

…

I am not embarrassed. I would never be embarrassed because of a mere mortal like that jerk-aholic.

No, nope, I so would not. I am not. I never will be.

**Growling machine? **A smirk lilts at the side of his mouth.

If I wasn't a swan I would definitely punch him, so he couldn't smirk anymore. That smirk is bad for people. That smirk is bloody annoying.

Yes, very annoying. Maybe I can peck it off.

**Yes, a growling bloody machine,** I snap. **Say the line.**

He rolls his eyes, but says, "Of course, your Majesty. I shall do anything you ask if my father is well once more. What time, pray tell, shall we start?"

**Tomorrow, good sir, **I put-out.

Good sir. Uh huh.

We say our goodbyes (our forced ones, of course - I would fully never willingly say goodbye to him) and he heads off.

Finally.

Octae.

* * *

I don't want to do this. Who would? This is Phoenix. Ugh.

Here he comes. Sidaeli save me.

"Your majesty," Phoenix - excuse me - _Siegfreid _- says, bowing. "I come to you to beg for your help, and to complete the tasks beforehand."

I nod regally, as required. **Yes, good sir. Come, let us break our fast on this fine day.**

We sit. We eat. We refuse to speak.

Oh, I can just tell this is going to be absolutely loads of bubbly fun.

After breakfast, I open my mouth. I pause, wrinkle my brow, look at Phoenix. He does the same.

Er... Crap. What do we do next, exactly?

He shrugs. "I dunno."

Great bundle of help he is. Asshole.

I groan. **We have to see Sora now. Octae damn it all.**

Phoenix looks up, as if surprised at my vehemence. And why would that be, dear friend?

"I like Sora," he rebukes.

Oh, nice. Of course he likes Sora. Of course he likes the - the fairy who isn't even any help at all in my most desperate time of need.

Okay, so she had been alright. Only alright. At least she hadn't lied to me. That's always nice, right?

**Yeah, well, good for you,** I mutter.** Let's all jump up and shout for the wonderful crap that is the amiableness between my two favorite people.**

**But I'm your number one, right, Whisp?** he asks, leaning forward nervously.

Yes, nervously. I am so sure _Siegfreid_.

**Please refrain calling me Whisp,** I put-out. **Actually, it would be great if you would refrain from calling me anything, thanks. Silence would be great right now. I have a killer headache. There's this weird little buzzing sound that just won't go away.**

"I recommend lots of sleep - eternal sleep would be best," he tells me, returning to speaking out loud. Then he grins. "Actually, you probably will have to have an apparently eternal sleep at some point."

I looked at him suspiciously. What is he talking about?

"You've never heard of Sleeping Beauty?" he asks, looking amused.

My stomach plummets as much as it can without actually moving. **You mean that's actually a fairy tale?**

His grin stretches even wider. "Quite."

Oh, Octae. Imagine the things Phoenix could do while I sleep.

Ew. No, not those kind of things. The ruining-the-asshole-fairy-tale kind of thing. Really, you're quite the pervert, aren't you? And you're annoying.

You have nothing going for you, do you? Poor you. Really.

But poor me even more.

I knock my beak loudly against Sora's door. She better answer quickly. I don't like waiting. I don't like it at all.

Plus I really have to pee.

The door opens (finally). Sora appears, nodding at the two of us.

"Come in."

Well, if you insist.

**Can I pee?**

Right, I'm not really one for tact and all that.

Sora just rolls her eyes, though, and says, "Just go straight through the house and you'll get to the back door. You can go out in the back yard."

Uh…

**_Excuse_ me?** I snap. **I am not going in the _back yard_. I am not an _animal_. I am a -**

I stop and clench my beak together in a frustrated manner.

Phoenix laughs. "You are an animal, Whisp. You can't expect to go to the toilet like normal humans."

I honk at him loudly. I'm trying to be menacing, but I doubt it's working, because Phoenix the Ass is only laughing more.

**I will peck your eyes out!**

Phoenix continues laughing, but manages to choke out, "If you can reach them!"

I honk at him loudly once more before stalking ahead. I do not care that this isn't my house and I don't know where I'm going. I am making a dramatic bloody exit, so there!

It would have been more dramatic if I wasn't a swan, however…

* * *

I won't give details on how it went. It'd really be best if it was kept between me and…well, no one.

Sora and Phoenix are waiting for me when I come back in to the house. Psh, lucky for them, because I would have pecked them to death if they had left me alone. Trust me, I could do it. My beak is sharp. I know. There was an unfortunate incident while walking back into the house that involved me pecking myself. It was not pleasant.

"Come on," Sora says when she sees me. "I'll explain about this fairy tale in the living room."

Phoenix and I follow Sora until we reach her living room, which is warm and comfy. Phoenix and Sora take the two squishy armchairs in front of the fire. I'm stuck with the bloody floor. Jerkfaces. Who cares if I'm a swan and probably am more suited for the floor? I want a squishy chair!

Octae.

"Alright," Sora says. "I can't put the exact words in your head anymore. You don't need them, anyway. You got them at first because you're still being eased into the Fairy Tale Curse, but that's all I can do. Now I'll tell you everything that needs to be done, and you have to remember. If you think you have done everything, _come to me first_, and if you have, I'll tell you and you can kiss. If you have trouble remembering what comes next, come to me and ask, because if you skip something or screw it up you can't go back to that specific moment; you'll have to kiss and do the fairy tale all over again. Understand?"

Phoenix and I both nod. Ha ha, I feel like I'm this important businesswoman and I'm in a board meeting, being drilled by the important boss lady. Except, you know, I'm a swan and all. But whatever.

"This fairy tale is called the Swan Queen," Sora says. "That's you, obviously, Whisper. The premise is that there was once a Queen and her ladies-in-waiting, and they were all cursed to be swans by day and women by night by Von Rothbart, an evil sorcerer who the Swan Queen spurned. The Queen and her ladies-in-waiting live in seclusion, but the Swan Queen is rumored to have great knowledge. This is why, when Prince Siegfreid's father falls ill, he goes to the Swan Queen for the Cure. The Swan Queen, however, asks for something in return. She wishes that he let her live with him, eat from his plate, drink from his goblet, sleep in his bed and, when the time comes, swear eternal love to her. She wishes this because, although he does not know, if someone declares eternal love for her, the curse will be broken. She believes that if the two share everything together, he will eventually come to love her. However, she's always taking a big risk, because if she comes to love him and he declares eternal love for someone else, she will become a swan forever, losing even the ability to become human at night.

"So, they live together, the Swan Queen eating from the Prince's plate, drinking from the Prince's goblet, and sleeping in the Prince's bed. At night, however, she does not allow him to light any candles, for if he must fall in love with her only as a swan, not as her beautiful human form for the curse to be broken."

Ha ha, I have a beautiful human form!

Phoenix snorts. "Well, that part obviously requires suspension of disbelief."

I honk indignantly. Excuse me, jerk, but I happen to have a _very_ beautiful human form!

"Either that or a very delusional human head," Phoenix says, smirking.

"Okay, shut up," Sora says. "After a few weeks - "

Oh, come on! I protest. _Weeks?_

Octae, are they _trying _to get me to kill Phoenix? Because I'll do it. Gladly.

"Yes, weeks," Sora says. "You have to have time to fall in love. And no more interruptions! _So_, after a few weeks, the Prince invites the Swan Queen to a ball, where the Prince is supposed to select his bride. It's during the night, however, so the Swan Queen tells him that she can't make it. The Prince wishes to declare eternal love for the Swan Queen at the ball, however, in front of everyone, so he tells her to just stand outside a window, hidden, until he makes his declaration, and then the curse would be broken and she would be able to come in and be together.

"Von Rothbarn, however, learns of this arrangement and sends one of her minions to detain the Swan Queen while he goes to the ball with his daughter, Odile, who he cast a spell on to appear as the Swan Queen. When Odile arrives, she tells the Prince that she has decided that since he is already in love with her, it is alright if he now sees her. The Prince, believing her, declares his eternal love for her. The Swan Queen, meanwhile, has gotten away from Von Rothbarn's minion, and comes just in time to see the Prince declare his eternal love for Odile. The Prince catches sight of the Swan Queen just as she runs away. Von Rothbarn then reveals that the woman the prince had just declared his eternal love for was actually his daughter, Odile. The prince chases after the Swan Queen and finds her next to the Lake, being consoled by her Ladies-in-Waiting. The Prince goes to the Swan Queen and explains what has happened, and she grants him her forgiveness and gives him the cure for his father. She explains to him, however, that he has already declared his eternal love for another, and so the curse will be there forever.

"Von Rothbart and Odile then arrive, and Von Rothbart tells the prince that he must marry Odile. The prince says that he would rather die than marry Odile, and then he looks at the Swan Queen and reach an understanding. The two grab each others hands and jump into the lake, drowning themselves. Thus, the curse is broken and all of the Ladies-in-Waiting are turned back into humans for good. The girls then drive Von Rothbart and Odile into the lake where they, too, drown. The Prince and the Swan Queen then rise as spirits above the Swan Lake and watch over the Ladies-in-Waiting and their descendents as they go to the Swan Queen's Kingdom and bring it back to peace after Von Rothbart's horrible reign."

Are you _kidding _me?

**I _die_****? **I burst out. **Seriously? Why?**

"Because that's how the fairy tale goes, Whisper," Sora says. "And you won't _truly_ die. The two of you will only be in spirit form until you rise above the lake and kiss."

**That's still a sucky ending, **I complain. **And none of it makes sense. Why - **

"Phoenix will answer your questions when the time comes," Sora interrupts impatiently. "I have no time for this now."

I stop speaking and sulk. Phoenix gives me a superior smile, as if he's better than me or something. Which he's not. Obviously. Ugh.

"Come on, Whisp, let's go," Phoenix says to me, standing up. "I know everything, don't worry about it."

His voice is _not _comforting. His voice is _smug_. I _hate_ smugness. I hate _him._

...And I have to spend _weeks_ with him. Living with him.

Oh, well, goody. This should be fun.

Heh, or not.

****

A/N: Well…there you go. I'm splitting this fairy tale into two chapters because otherwise it would be ridiculously long. Oh, and in this chapter begins the underlying plot of the story. The Fairy Tale Curse is the main occurrence of the story, of course, but what lies behind the Fairy Tale Curse is really what's most important. There's more than what there seems, ha ha ha.

Next chapter: Whisper and Phoenix live together for a few weeks, more bickering, and bit of FLUFF, then the ball, during which Whisper is detained by someone who doesn't seem to fit in with the fairy tale, in that she is not only trying to detain Whisper, she is trying to _kill_ her. Who wants to kill Whisper, and why? And will Whisper get to the ball in time? Dun, dun, dun….

Okay, I'm not going to reply to all the reviews individually because I know that can annoy people, making them think the chapter is longer than it really is, and I also just don't have the time. So to answer some questions:

What kinds of properties do fairies and elves have? I mean, can Phoenix fly?

Y**es, all fairies can fly. It is, however, considered rude to fly around other beings that cannot fly unless it is necessary. Not that Phoenix would normally mind being rude around Whisper, it's just that flying unnecessarily around beings (especially elves) who can't fly is VERY rude. Sort of like making a racist joke, you know? I suppose I should address this in the story, so thanks for reminding me to do that. And as for properties, both fairies and elves have magic, although fairies' magic is stronger. I'll adress this further in the story. Phoenix and Whisp haven't really had to use their magic yet, but in the next chapter they definitely will.**

One suggestion is to maybe give more background in the next chapter about why Phoenix is her enemy, and why he is stuck in the fairytale also.

I'll definitely go more into why Phoenix is her enemy. I haven't addressed it yet because it's something that Phoenix doesn't really like to think about and Whisper sort of denies. Phoenix is stuck in the fairy tale also because he's Whisper's true love. Although you did raise a good point - how does the spell effect those who are in Whisper's life but doesn't know what's going on? Whisper will ask that question when she thinks about it.

But how many fairy tales are there?

The fairy tales continue until Whisper confesses her love to Phoenix and he confesses his love in return, and they both mean it.

So…THANK YOU, THANK YOU, everyone who reviewed! You are all wonderful, and each of your reviews made me feel guilty all over again, so every time I get a review I am inspired to write a little more. Hint, hint.


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